PRAYING GOD’S HELP
The world is in a state of turmoil. We see what the Bible predicted—wars, disasters, people without self-control, brutal, selfish (Matthew 24:6-8; Timothy 3:1-5).–“people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world” (Luke 21:26). Some wonder, does prayer affect God’s rule in the world? The biblical Word of God answers such questions (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
The Bible says “know that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind” (Daniel 4:17). God has shown his willing and ability to help when his people pray according to his will. He says:
- The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16).
- If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).
The Bible provides examples of God responding to prayers of his people, and demonstrating his authority in the world.
DANIEL AND ISRAEL PRAYED
The prophet Daniel was a man of prayer that influenced God by praying. He prayed for God to set his people Israel freed from Babylonian captivity. In Daniel 9, he prayed:
15 And now, O Lord our God, who brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and made Yourself a 42 name, as it is this day–we have sinned, we have done wickedly! 16 “O Lord, according to all Your righteousness, I pray, let Your anger and Your fury be turned away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people are a reproach to all those around us. 17 Now therefore, our God, hear the prayer of Your servant, and his supplications, and for the Lord’s sake cause Your face to shine on Your sanctuary, which is desolate. 18 O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies. 19 O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name.”
Because of Daniel’s high favor with God as a praying man, the Lord revealed to him through visions that God would free his people. And God would establish a kingdom of righteousness on earth through his “Anointed One.” This God would do after he had raised up four successive great world powers. The four powers or kingdoms were made known to Daniel in visions, wherein beasts were seen which symbolized the four kingdoms—Babylon (a lion with wings), Media-Persia (a bear with three ribs in its mouth ), Greece (a leopard with four wings), and Rome (a terrifying and very powerful beast)–(Daniel 2; Dan. 7:1-8, 15-18; Dan. 8:19-22). The promised “Anointed One” would come during the time of the Roman empire; and he would “atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness” (Daniel 9:20-27).
GOD ANSWERED THEIR PRAYERS
The Scriptures show that when Israel repented of their sins and prayed, God answered. He allowed the people of Persia to captures Babylon; and persuaded King Cyrus of Persia to free Israel from captivity, although the King did not worship the God of Israel. God also used Cyrus to rebuild the land and restored the people of Israel to the land he promised them. (Isaiah 45:1-5, 13).
JESUS CHRIST PRAYED FOR US
“When the set time had fully come, God sent his Son Jesus Christ [the Anointed One] into the world” to establish God’s kingdom of everlasting righteousness (Galatians 4:4-6; Luke 4:18).
When Jesus came and had chosen disciples, he said, “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. (John 17:20).
Conditions existed when the Lord came that allowed for spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ far and wide: Greeks had already conquered Persia and much of the world; and Greek was spoken throughout much of the world. Rome, in turn, had defeated Greece, and had absorbed much of is absorbed much of its culture, including its language; and Rome had built roads throughout much of the world. These conditions allowed the gospel of Jesus Christ to be written in Greek and spread abroad.
Jesus’ disciples went about a lot of the world preaching and writing that Jesus came to sacrifice himself as an atonement for sins and redemption of the world. (Romans 6:23; Philippians 2:6-8)–For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). And because of believing in the atonement of Jesus Christ, believers can come confidently before the throne of God when they need help (Hebrews 4:16).
WE NEED TO PRAY
As a result of the Son of God dying on a cross, like a sinless lamb, for our sins, he has become our High Priest and intercessor with God. And because he has experienced and overcome the troubles of world that we now encounter, he is able to empathize with us. We are encourage “therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).
Our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ has made us “priests to his God and Father” Revelation 1:6). And we are urged to: “Pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. For, there is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.” (1 Timothy 2:1-6).
